Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn address the media about two arrests in the shooting of a 6-year-old boy riding in a car and back-to-back outbreaks of gang violence, Wednesday, Mar. 5, 2007 in Los Angeles.

One thing you can say about San Francisco criminals - they can think fast on their feet.

Take the case of Weston Reynolds, who was busted in October after being caught by security guards going through a 2009 Honda Civic parked at the Performing Arts Garage on Grove Street. The car was locked, but the passenger window was open.

The 28-year-old Reynolds - who has a half dozen theft arrests under his belt and who had just gotten out of prison for grand theft - testified that he was high on meth as he went through the car's glove box, which might explain why he appeared oblivious to the alarm going off.

At first he told the guards that it was his aunt's car and that she had sent him to roll up the electric window.

When Reynolds couldn't say where his aunt was, or why he didn't have a key, he changed his tune. Actually, he was just passing by on his way to rent from City CarShare so he could go up to the Cache Creek Casino when he noticed the car's window was down.

He admitted it looked bad, but he was just reaching in to get information to call the owner.

The district attorney wanted him put away for up to four years on felony auto burglary charges.

Reynolds decided to fight it, and with the help of Deputy Public Defender Phoenix Streets, he argued to the jury that he wasn't a burglar, but a misunderstood Good Samaritan.

After all, why would he burglarize a car? He had a regular General Assistance income and $300 cash in his pocket.

Prosecutor Bill Murphytold jurors that if they believed Reynolds' tale, he "had an oil well to sell you in Golden Gate Park."

On Thursday, the jury acquitted Reynolds of felony charges, but still convicted him of misdemeanor auto tampering and he was let go with the 139 days he'd spent in jail awaiting trial.

Guess they were in the market for oil.

Text talk: Revelations that San Francisco Police Commission members were being lobbied via text messages during the recent hearing over whether cops should use Tasers have taken an interesting turn.

Supervisor David Campos reportedly texted at least two of the commissioners during the meeting March 3 that resulted in a 4-3 vote against Tasers. So sunshine activist KimoCrossman put in a request with the Police Commission for the messages.

Commissioner Jim Hammer,who voted "no" after receiving his message from Campos, said he had no saved messages.

However, Commissioner DavidOnek - who voted "yes" on the Tasers - did save his missive from Campos, in which the supervisor said he "emphatically disagree(s) with your comments." The message called Onek's stance "very disappointing."

Mayor Gavin Newsomhas since called for a ban on text lobbying during meetings.

By the way, Campos told us he couldn't make his texts public - they automatically delete after 24 hours.

Endangered species: The Niners have notified season-ticket holders that they're upping the price on some of their best seats in the house next fall by as much as $51 a game - and that has some of their oldest and most loyal fans calling foul.

It's "beyond shocking," says Eileen Collier, who recently learned her family's midfield seats in the lower box were being raised to $149 a game, from $98.

The hike puts the family's total season package at $4,023.

"Do we need to mention parking fees and the cost of a soda, snack or beer?" Collier asks.

Not if you can afford those prices.

Season-ticket holders were given until today to come up with the 50 percent down payment or forfeit their seats.

The team's PR director, Bob Lange, tells us the $51 price hike applies only to about 2,000 "prime" seats, and that roughly half the stadium's 69,734 seats will see no or little change - even some slight decreases.

That puts the average ticket price at Candlestick next season at $74 - 4 percent higher than the past two years, but still well below last year's league average of $94.

All in the family: As San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom was announcing his run for lieutenant governor, Democratic rival Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahnwas in the Bay Area on Friday - speaking at a women's political luncheon in San Rafael and having coffee with a Newsom nemesis, former Board of Supervisors PresidentAaron Peskin.

Hahn tells us, "Women are looking at me to fight hard - and play dirty if I have to - but hopefully win this."

In friendlier times, she was on hand last fall when Bill Clintonendorsed Newsom for governor, and the three had their picture taken together.